The run-up to Florida’s Republican presidential primary has already been weird, thanks in part to an extended debate over whether there should be a colony on the moon. On Saturday, it got a little weirder. Stumping at a seafood restaurant here along the Gulf coast, Mitt Romney picked up the endorsement of actor Jon Voight, the star of “Midnight Cowboy” who is perhaps best known these days as the father of actress Angelina Jolie. The actor has long been active in Republican politics, campaigning for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign in 2008 and traveling with Mike Huckabee to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year.
Voight told the crowd he was backing Romney because he was “strong” and “honest.” He declared President Obama had “decided to follow his father’s footsteps and take us to socialism.” The actor said Newt Gingrich “fell short” of being able to take on Obama. “We cannot afford another four years of rhetoric,” Voight said. While Jolie’s name wasn’t mentioned on the stump, Romney did manage to sneak in a reference to the actress’s wild-child reputation. Explaining to the audience that he wasn’t sure how to “chit chat with a famous actor” when he phoned Voight to ask for his support, Romney said he decided to talk about his kids.
